Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- vmwarebios [2006/06/26 09:58]
stockholm Entering content out of mail, formatting
+++ vmwarebios [2009/03/13 06:10] (current)
mcb30
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ===== Using Etherboot inside the VMware BIOS =====
-The following mail has been posted on June 26, 2006 by Borg No. One
+The following mail has been posted on June 26, 2006 by Borg Number One in the EtherBoot mailing list.
-===== Etherboot ROM in VMware and Bochs - The tutorial =====
+===== EtherBoot ROM in VMware and Bochs - The tutorial =====
-(updated on 25.06.2006 )
+(updated on 07.07.2006)
+**Declarations**
+  * Expansion ROM / ExpansionROM , Extension ROM / ExtensionROM , Option ROM / OptionROM , Extension BIOS / ExtensionBIOS
+... describes a binary executable in a special format, which can be loaded and started by mainboard's System BIOS
+This binary executably is genereally stored in the (Flash)-EEPROM of a graphics card, network card, RAID controller and inside a modular System BIOS / module based BIOS.\\
+**Introduction**
 In the past and in the present, many people were/are interested in using EtherBoot for virtual machines, like VMware or Bochs:
@@ Line 14: / Line 20: @@
 Using Virtual Machines is a really good and really fast way to test and improve EtherBoot (and other extension ROM projects).
-But, in previous virtual machine related requests in the EtherBoot Mailing Lists, I could see that only time consuming methods are known.
+But in previous virtual machine related requests in the EtherBoot Mailing Lists, I could see that only time consuming methods are known.
-==== Already know general method: ====
+==== Already known general method: ====
-Currently, EtherBoot developers/testers who use VMware or Bochs, have to take a certain time to
+Currently, EtherBoot developers/testers who use VMware or Bochs, have to take a certain time to:
   * put EtherBoot to a floppy disk / CD or into a flopy disk image / CD image
   * store the CD image / floppy disk image to a file
-  * boot Bochs/VMware and wait for the CD / floppy disk boot process.
+  * start Bochs/VMware and wait for the CD / floppy disk boot process
 But there are faster/alternative methods to use EtherBoot in VMware and Bochs.
@@ Line 29: / Line 35: @@
 Now, I will show you the methods to make EtherBoot testing/developing faster and easier:
-==== Alternative Method ====
-=== 1. Putting EtherBoot into VMware BIOS ===
-VMware is currently the only PC emulator with a commercial modular BIOS which can be easily modified.
+==== Alternative Methods: ====
-Beside bochs, VMware is currently the best emulator for BIOS related developments, like building/testing own Option ROM ideas/projects.
-( Inside $Microshits$ Virtual PC executable you can find an AMIBIOS resource which can also be modified with AMIBIOS modification utilities.
+=== 1. Putting EtherBoot into the VMware BIOS ===
+VMware is currently the only PC emulator with a commercial modular BIOS which can be easily modified.\\
+Beside bochs, VMware is currently the best emulator for BIOS related developments, like building/testing user-made Option ROMs ideas/projects.
+\\
+( Inside the "Microsoft Virtual PC" executable you can find an AMIBIOS resource which can also be modified with AMIBIOS modification utilities.\\
 But there are huge restrictions:
-  * never try any Option ROM / Extension ROM experiments --> after the modification Microshit's Virtual PC hangs while P.O.S.T.
+  * never try any Option ROM / Extension ROM experiments --> after the modification Microsoft's Virtual PC hangs while P.O.S.T.
-  * Virtual PC is generally just for Winshit. )
+  * Virtual PC is generally just for Windows. )
+\\
+It is recommended to read the message threads below for an introduction:
+  * [[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=10817&start=0&tstart=0|VMWare BIOS Modification / translation]]
+  * [[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=28149&tstart=0|VMware BIOS modification - for Linux users]]
+After this, compile or download an EtherBoot ROM for the PCNET32 adapter (Vendor ID: 0x1022, DeviceID: 0x2000), because VMware emulates an AMD LANCE / PCNET adapter by default.
-To get introduced to the VMware BIOS modification, read the threads below:
+After downloading/compiling the AMD LANCE / PCNET32 EtherBoot ROM, open the extracted VMware BIOS file with the Phoenix BIOS Editor and add the EtherBoot ROM as a new Option ROM.
-[[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=10817&start=0&tstart=0|VMWare BIOS Modification / translation]]
-[[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=28149&tstart=0|VMware BIOS modification - for Linux users]]
-After this, open the extracted VMware BIOS file with the Phoenix BIOS Editor and add EtherBoot ROM as a new Option ROM.
+Next, save the modified BIOS file to a certain place and keep the path/filename in mind.
-Then, safe the modified BIOS file to a certain place and keep the path/filename in mind.
 The last step is to add following line:
 <file>bios440.filename = "path to the modified BIOS file/BIOS file name"</file>
 ...to VMware's configuration file.
 === 2. Using EtherBoot as replacement for VMware's build-in network boot ROMs ===
-With some nonofficial switches, VMware 5 is able to emulate three different network cards:
+VMware usually emulates an AMD LANCE network interface card. But with some non-official switches, VMware 5 is able to emulate three different network card types:
   * AMD Am79C970A - PCnet LANCE PCI Ethernet Controller
   * Intel E1000
   * VMXNET - VMware PCI Ethernet Adapter
-Each emulated network card has its own emulated network boot ROM.
+In VMware, each emulated network card has its own emulated network Boot ROM. In this case the VMware developers decided to use the Intel PXE as network boot ROM code.
-So, when it is already possible to emulate three different network cards why not also getting the control of their emulated BOOTROM / BOOTROM content? :)
+So, when it is already possible to choose between three different emulated network cards, why not also getting the control of their emulated BOOTROM / BOOTROM content? :)
 And why not replacing the default (PXE) network boot ROM with EtherBoot? :)
@@ Line 69: / Line 80: @@
-Well, after playing/testing with VMware, I could figure out many new undocumented switches.
+Well, after playing/testing with VMware, I could see that I also figured out sine new undocumented switches.
 Most of them were sent to [[http://sanbarrow.com/vmx.html|Sanbarrow]].
-But I could see that I figured out some switches which are usefully for Option ROM / Extension ROM testing and usefully for EtherBoot development.
+But I could see that I also figured out some switches which are usefully for Option ROM / Extension ROM testing and usefully for EtherBoot development.
 Here are the results:
 First, download or compile EtherBoot ROM for one or all of following network cards:
-a)
+  * a)<file>e1000:e1000-82545em-copper -- [0x8086,0x100f]
-+ e1000:e1000-82545em-copper -- [0x8086,0x100f]
+("Intel E1000", Vendor ID: 8086 , Device ID: 100F)</file>
-("Intel E1000", Vendor ID: 8086 , Device ID: 100F)
+  * b)<file>pcnet32:pcnet32 -- [0x1022,0x2000]
+("AMD Am79C970A - PCnet LANCE PCI Ethernet Controller", Vendor ID:  1022 , Device ID: 2000 )</file>
-b)
+\\
-+ pcnet32:pcnet32 -- [0x1022,0x2000]
+  * <file>( Hint: There is currently no: "c)", because EtherBoot sourcecode for the
-("AMD Am79C970A - PCnet LANCE PCI Ethernet Controller", Vendor ID:  1022 , Device ID: 2000 )
+  VMXNET - VMware PCI Ethernet Adapter [Vendor ID:  15AD , Device ID: 0720] does not exist at the time. )</file>
-( Hint: There is currently no EtherBoot sourcecode for the VMXNET - VMware PCI Ethernet Adapter Vendor ID:  15AD , Device ID: 0720 )
@@ Line 92: / Line 101: @@
 ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
 e1000bios.filename = "path/etherboot-for-E1000"
+ethernet0.opromsize = 70144
 ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
@@ Line 98: / Line 108: @@
 </file>
-I spent nearly two hours to also prepare a [[http://bnobtc.pix-art.com/images/borgbios/vmware/etherboot-in-vmware.gif|decent animation]], which shows the described method. :)
+I spent nearly two hours to also prepare a [[http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/7897/etherbootinvmwaredx5.gif|decent animation]], which shows the described method. :)
 PS:
@@ Line 107: / Line 117: @@
 === 3. Putting EtherBoot into Bochs ===
-Because Bochs is also able to use additional Option ROMs, you can simply use this feature for EtherBoot testing and development.
+The PC emulator (x86 emulator): "Bochs" generally emulates a NE2000-compatible network card. Because Bochs is also able to use additional Option ROMs, you can simply use this feature for EtherBoot testing and development.
-After downloading a suitable EtherBoot ROM (for a NE2000-compatible Ethernet adapter), just add following line to a Bochs configuration file:
+After compiling or downloading a suitable EtherBoot ROM (for a NE2000-compatible Ethernet adapter), just add following line to a Bochs configuration file:
 <file>
 optromimage1: file=../etherboot.rom, address=0xd0000
 </file>
 Regarding to: "loading Option ROMs", the current Bochs releases use an emulated BIOS which is not squeamish like general and commercial (Award/AMI/Phoenix) BIOS code.
-This means that the Option ROM header (correct PCI vendor / Device ID / PCI class ID) will not be checked by Bochs' BIOS.
+This means that the Option ROM header (correct PCI vendor / Device ID / PCI class ID) will not be checked by Bochs' BIOS.\\
 So, Bochs can load and run any kind of ISA/PCI Option ROMs without changing / modifying the Option ROM header before.
+\\
 Used links in the article and further interesting links:
+  * a) EtherBoot inside emulators/VMs:
+    * [[http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_id=11504279&forum_id=48022]]
+    * [[http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_id=11529915&forum_id=48022]]
+    * [[http://sourceforge.net/search/?ml_name=etherboot-discuss&type_of_search=mlists&group_id=4233&words=vmware]]
+    * [[http://sourceforge.net/search/?ml_name=etherboot-discuss&type_of_search=mlists&group_id=4233&words=bochs]]
-a) EtherBoot inside emulators/VMs:
+  * b)
-[[http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_id=11504279&forum_id=48022]]
+    * EtherBoot Option ROM in VMware and further Option ROM related screenshots / animations
-[[http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_id=11529915&forum_id=48022]]
+[No longer available]
-[[http://sourceforge.net/search/?ml_name=etherboot-discuss&type_of_search=mlists&group_id=4233&words=vmware]]
-[[http://sourceforge.net/search/?ml_name=etherboot-discuss&type_of_search=mlists&group_id=4233&words=bochs]]
-b)
+  * c)
-EtherBoot Option ROM in VMware and further Option ROM related screenshots / animations
+    * [[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=10817&start=0&tstart=0|VMWare BIOS Modification / translation]]
-[[http://bnobtc.pix-art.com/images/borgbios/vmware/etherboot-in-vmware.gif]]
-[[http://bnobtc.pix-art.com/images/borgbios/vmware]]
-[[http://bnobtc.pix-art.com/images/borgbios/romos]]
-c)
+  * d)
-[[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=10817&start=0&tstart=0|VMWare BIOS Modification / translation]]
+    * [[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=28149&tstart=0|VMware BIOS modification - for Linux users]]
-d)
-[[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=28149&tstart=0|VMware BIOS modification - for Linux users]]
-e) Option ROM projects:
-[[http://bnobtc.pix-art.com/en|"Already realized Option ROM ideas"]]
+  * e) Option ROM projects:
+    * [[[No longer available] --> "Already realized Option ROM ideas"]]
+  * f)
+    * [[http://rayer.ic.cz/romos/romose.htm|ROMOS]]
 This article was created to help users, who want to use EtherBoot in VMware and/or bochs.
 Furthermore it shows fast methods to test new added EtherBoot features with emulators / virtual machines.
 I decided to publish this article in the EtherBoot Mailing List, because this is the right place.
+The Etherboot Wiki author Anselm (username: "Stockholm") was allowed to add this article to the the EtherBoot Wiki.
 If you want to provide this article on other sites / in computer magazines, then get in contact with me before.
@@ Line 158: / Line 167: @@
 --BIOS Tool Collection--
 --BIOS modification and realtime desktop help service--
-http://bnobtc.pix-art.com
+[No longer available]
 --BIOS Logo Gallery--
-http://bnobtc.pix-art.com/bioslogo
-http://bnobtc.pix-art.com/images/bioslogo
---
+[No longer available]

Trace:

Differences

Navigation

Search

Toolbox

QR Code